I'm thinking of purchasing a 22.5" Weber Kettle. When indirect cooking and using the side charcoal baskets can you get the temp up to 300-350 consistently and hold it? If not, do you just put the coals off to one side on the charcola grate below?

Dennis, there are a lot of variables in getting any smoker or grill to a consistent temperature. I have found I can maintain 350 consistently in my 22.5 kettle with the following: I have one bottom vent open and the others closed and I use only the vent in the lid to regulate air flow. I usually have that completely open for the 350 temp. I start the fire with 15 to 20 briquettes on one side topped with about 15 glowing briquettes from my chimney. When all are nicely ash covered, I either bank them to one side or split them to two sides depending on what I am cooking. I don’t use the side baskets Weber sells. Depending on what I am cooking I may throw a fist sized chunk of apple or nut wood on the coals. I have found that this arrangement will maintain 350 to 375 for well over an hour. If I need longer I usually add a few handfuls of briquettes or lump charcoal.

Instead of the baskets look at the charcoal rails, they are cheaper,easier to find, and work just as well. If I place mine on the 4th wire of the grate I can use a 1/2 size chafeing dish alum. pan as a drip pan. I pick them up at Costco for about $7.00 for 30. The nice thing about a kettle is that you can use it indirectly or direct. By closeing off 1 vent and cutting another to 1/2 open I can maintain 350 for about 1 hour with a full load of Kingsford when I indirect cook.

Sure, I usually just dump them to one side or the other, and one chimney should get you where you are wanting to be. ThrRoff has multiple vents on the underside of his as does one of my kettles but if you are getting a new one (one touch) you will have one large vent on the bottom. Mine is usually open and I control with the top vent which is designed for this purpose and has a comfortable cool grip. Rarely do I need to get lower and need to begin closing the bottom vent as I use my bullet for that stuff anymore usually. The kettle is easy to get and hold at 350 as these guys say, just burn down a chimney some till it gets there then just add fuel as needed. You could also use a water pan as a thermal mass to level off heat spikes. Remember though you're cooking with charcoal/wood in this and you will get variance. It's an art.